National
PM Modi’s choice of Kashmir as Yoga Day venue is symbolic & assertive
Srinagar, June 21 (IANS) The decision by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to hold the 10th International Day of Yoga in J&K’s Srinagar city is both symbolic and assertive.
PM Modi chose to join the Yoga participants in Srinagar in the aftermath of a series of terror attacks in the Jammu division, including the one on innocent pilgrims in the Reasi district.
Nine pilgrims were killed and 44 injured in the Reasi terror attack on June 9 when terrorists first killed the driver of the bus and then kept firing at the overturned bus for 20 minutes to ensure that no pilgrim survived the cowardly attack.
The terror attack in Reasi and Kathua district followed the large participation of the people especially from the Valley in the Lok Sabha polls.
As the PM said the terror attacks were ‘the last ditch efforts of the enemies of Kashmir’s progress, India would teach them a befitting lesson’.
PM Modi chose Srinagar as the venue for the Yoga Day celebrations because he knew that the focus of the World would be on this event.
Yoga has caught the imagination of the World in such a large manner that has perhaps not matched by any other event before.
A total of 177 countries at the UN supported the Indian resolution on Yoga which was passed in a record time of 90 days. Never before in the history of the UN has any other resolution been passed in such a record time.
It was under this backdrop that PM Modi decided to have the World’s attention focused on Kashmir by his presence in Srinagar.
Undeterred by the terror attacks, PM Modi made the big announcement that preparations for the Assembly elections are already underway and that the people of J&K would soon have an Assembly of elected representatives.
He also assured restoration of statehood to the UT saying that J&K would soon touch new heights of progress and prosperity with its statehood back.
This was a clear and loud message to the enemies of democracy in J&K. The country is determined to restore complete democracy in J&K and return political power to the elected members of the Legislative Assembly.
The Election Commission of India (ECI) has already issued the primary notification asking the political parties to apply for election symbols.
In all likelihood, Assembly elections would be held in J&K before the deadline of September 30 set by the Supreme Court.
PM Modi also spoke about the security situation when he said that the Centre is determined to eradicate terrorism at all costs from the soil of J&K.
He referred to two security review meetings taken by Union Home Minister Amit Shah in this regard.
The detractors of PM Modi have been blaming him for denying the people of Kashmir a truly representative local government.
PM’s speech, which was watched by the World as he spoke from the Sher-e-Kashmir International Convention Centre (SKICC) by the banks of the Dal Lake, has put a full stop to his detractors.
The abrogation of Articles 370 and 35A on August 5, 2019, by Parliament removed the last barrier between J&K and the rest of the country.
PM Modi’s assurance of early Assembly elections and restoration of statehood would serve two national objectives — the promise of complete integration of J&K with the country and an equal share of democracy, progress and prosperity for the people here who have seen over 30 years of worst violence and uncertainty.
–IANS
sq/dpb
National
Defence Ministry: Year 2025 will be year of reforms
On Wednesday, the Defence Ministry announced that 2025 will be designated as the “Year of Reforms,” with a primary focus on establishing integrated theatre commands to enhance collaboration among the three branches of the military.
These reforms are aimed at transforming the armed forces into a technologically advanced, combat-ready force capable of executing multi-domain integrated operations, the ministry stated.
The initiative will emphasize emerging domains such as cyber and space, alongside cutting-edge technologies like artificial intelligence, machine learning, hypersonics, and robotics.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh described the “Year of Reforms” as a pivotal milestone in the modernization of the armed forces.
“It will set the stage for significant advancements in the nation’s defense capabilities, ensuring the security and sovereignty of India in the face of 21st-century challenges,” he said.
National
A 3.2 magnitude tremor struck Gujarat’s Kutch district on Wednesday morning
A 3.2 magnitude tremor struck Gujarat’s Kutch district on Wednesday morning, according to the Institute of Seismological Research (ISR).
The district administration reported no casualties or property damage following the quake.
The tremor occurred at 10:24 am, with its epicenter located 23 kilometers north-northeast (NNE) of Bhachau, as per the Gandhinagar-based ISR.
Last month, the region experienced four seismic events exceeding a magnitude of 3, including a 3.2 magnitude tremor just three days ago, with its epicenter also near Bhachau.
Earlier tremors in the area included a 3.7 magnitude earthquake on December 23 and a 3.2 magnitude event on December 7, according to ISR reports.
Kutch was also jolted by a 4.0 magnitude earthquake on November 18, 2024. On November 15, a 4.2 magnitude quake hit Patan in north Gujarat, based on ISR data.
Gujarat is considered a high-risk earthquake zone, having experienced nine major earthquakes over the past 200 years, according to the Gujarat State Disaster Management Authority (GSDMA). The 2001 earthquake in Kutch, which occurred on January 26, was the third-largest and second-most destructive in India in the last two centuries, according to the GSDMA.
National
Diljit Dosanjh faces legal action over concert songs
Singer and actor Diljit Dosanjh’s much-anticipated New Year’s Eve concert in Ludhiana faced legal hurdles after a complaint was filed by Punditrao Dharenavar, an assistant professor from Chandigarh.
Following the complaint, the Deputy Director of the Women and Child Department, Government of Punjab, issued a formal notice to Ludhiana’s District Commissioner, urging them to prohibit Dosanjh from performing specific songs during his live show on December 31, 2024.
The notice specifically targets songs accused of promoting alcohol, including Patiala Peg, 5 Tara Theke, and Case (Jeeb Vicho Feem Labbiya), even if the lyrics are slightly modified. The complaint points to previous warnings issued to Dosanjh by various commissions advising against performing these controversial tracks.
Despite these warnings, the singer allegedly continues to perform the songs with minor alterations. Dharenavar raised serious concerns about the influence of such music on young audiences, especially when minors are present at live events.
Adding to the controversy, Dharenavar referenced a 2019 Punjab and Haryana High Court ruling, which directed law enforcement to ensure that songs promoting alcohol, drugs, or violence are not played at public events, including concerts. This ruling underscores the legal basis for the complaint and has further intensified the scrutiny surrounding the event.
National
UP Minister’s convoy overturns, 5 person injured
Five people sustained injuries when a vehicle in the convoy of Uttar Pradesh Minister and Nishad Party chief Sanjay Nishad overturned into a ditch near Januan village in the Khejuri Police Station area of Ballia district late last night.
Sanjay Nishad shared details of the incident, stating that the accident injured five party workers, including four women.
“I was traveling with the convoy to participate in the Constitutional Rights Yatra organized by the party on Tuesday night. Near Januan village in the Khejuri area, one of the vehicles following the convoy lost control while trying to avoid an animal and overturned into a ditch,” Nishad explained.
The injured individuals have been identified as Rakesh Nishad, Ramrati, Usha, Geeta, and Iravati Nishad.
Senior police and administrative officials quickly arrived at the scene following the incident to oversee the situation.
National
Suchir Balaji’s mother alleges Murder
The mother of Suchir Balaji, a 26-year-old former OpenAI researcher found dead after accusing the company of copyright violations, has alleged that her son was “murdered” and called for a Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) probe.
Poornima Rao, Suchir’s mother, claimed her son’s death was a “cold-blooded murder” that authorities wrongly ruled as suicide. She further disclosed that a private autopsy report conflicted with the findings of the initial police investigation.
Rao alleged that her son’s apartment had been “ransacked” and cited evidence of a struggle in the bathroom, including bloodstains that suggested he had been assaulted.
“We hired a private investigator and conducted a second autopsy to uncover the truth. The private autopsy does not confirm the cause of death stated by the police. Suchir’s apartment was ransacked, there were signs of a struggle in the bathroom, and it appears he was hit based on blood spots. This is a cold-blooded murder being misclassified as a suicide. Lobbying in San Francisco won’t deter us from seeking justice. We demand an FBI investigation,” Rao wrote on X.
Elon Musk reacted to Rao’s post, commenting, “This doesn’t seem like a suicide.”
Balaji was discovered dead in his San Francisco apartment months after accusing OpenAI of violating copyright laws during the development of ChatGPT, as reported by Fox News. Despite these claims, the San Francisco Police Department found no evidence of foul play and ruled the death a suicide.
On October 24, shortly before his death, Balaji voiced doubts about the “fair use” defense in generative artificial intelligence. “I recently participated in a NYT story about fair use and generative AI, and why I’m skeptical ‘fair use’ would be a plausible defense for a lot of generative AI products,” he wrote on X.
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